MAD MARKETING TACTICS™ !

Keeping Your Customers When You Change Your Tactics Or Logistics...

2013-08-30T14:06:00.000-04:00

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO MY READERS
If you would like to continue reading articles written by Douglas E. Castle, you have two new choices:

1) Visit his new professional website and business blog at http://DouglasECastleBlog.com, where he discusses fixing broken businesses and fueling and accelerating the growth curve of successful or potentially successful companies or organizations, or you may:

2) Visit his multi-subject personal blog at http://DouglasECastle.com which will now be the ultimate, centralized consolidation of the large list of blogs which follow. While I might continue to post to these blogs directly, I will be doing so only sporatically. Thank you, as always, for following me and for sharing my articles with your colleagues across your many social media networks using an ever-increasing variety of sharing tools,. The selected blog list follows for your reference:
SELECTED LINKS TO BLOGS BY DOUGLAS E. CASTLE:
TAKING COMMAND! ACHIEVING YOUR OBJECTIVES. SENDING SIGNALS! - Communicate With Precision And Power. QUORA DISCUSSION FORUM DOUGLAS E. CASTLE: Observations, Thoughts And Commentary. Disruption Theory And Disruptive Innovation InfoSphere™ Business Alerts And Intelligence THE GLOBAL FUTURIST - Douglas E Castle
LINKS 4 LIFE ALERTS! Building And Managing Customer Relationships - CEM Instant Biz 101 Radio DAZZ - Music Breaks To Make Your Day! THE INTERNATIONALIST PAGE - Douglas E Castle GLOBAL EDGE NEWS AND ARTICLE FEED BRAINTENANCE: Train, Strain And Improve Your Brain. Expand Your Mind. Blogging Tips, Tricks And Tools MAD MARKETING TACTICS™ ! Business And Project Planning And Management

#MadMarketing

Scoop.it

Creating Or Finding Problems To Create Markets - "Don't Cure The Disease. Treat the symptoms!"

2013-08-05T11:50:00.000-04:00

You can create (or allow the proliferation of) problems in order to fuel a market for their solutions; name diseases and come up with medications; avoid getting to the root of problems and make a fortune (Splenda or Sensa anyone?) selling symptomatic remedies...and these remedies might either be addictive or create secondary problems for which profitable cures can be found and advertised.

This is not the "New Normal." This is exploitation that has been an integral component of both innovation and marketing which has in and of itself been growing. Eager marketing strategists are often in favor of creating (or at least identifying) problems to solve with new products; but it has reached a point in our marketing playbook, that its often a good strategy to stay ahead of the curve that you yourself create by promoting products which just treat symptoms, but do not ever cure -- and worse, there are some unscrupulous folks out there (they make science fiction books about it) who would create diseases, perhaps plagues -- if they could be the only ones with the cure.

If that last example sounds familiar, it's because

I came across the following article in my reading earlier, and wanted to share this excerpted link with my readers at The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog. Trust me -- you'll see why when you return to this page.

FDA rule creates standards for gluten-free food labels
The FDA has issued rules to define the term "gluten-free," saying foods with that label must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. Food manufacturers will have one year to comply with the regulation, which has been in the works since 2007 and conforms with rules used in the EU and Canada. USA Today (8/2), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/2), Progressive Grocer (8/2), CandyAndSnackToday.com (8/4), Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (8/2)

Scientists have been researching the facts and postulating (informally, unofficially, but loudly) that it seems that the more recent generations of children (including folks up into their late thirties) of our American society are "developing an increasing variety of food allergies and sensitivities."

There are allergies to peanuts, fruit, lactose and gluten -- and other allergies, increasing in both their number and type and in the percentage of the younger population affected. Obesity is also a growing problem [no pun intended] and people are getting ready to abandon cane sugar for artificial sweeteners that are not-too-distant cousins of toxic coal tar distillates. The cane sugar lobby has been railing at the corn sugar and corn sugar syrup-containing products market for the last decade or so, with increasing ferocity, in order to maintain sugars position as an exclusive commodity without competition in order to maintain its market share and control prices -- something like what Big Oil has done, but lighter and sweeter. And of course there's arsenic in apple juice (in almonds too, if you eat a truckload of them).

Always, as they say in law enforcement, follow the money. And if you follow it upstream, you'll find that the companies who are making a fortune in the "everything is dangerous, and has either harmed or will harm people in the future" is Big Pharma, the big food companies, and of course, the legal profession (asbestosis, and the like) and the legislators and regulators who are spawned from the legal profession.

In marketing, depending upon how unscrupulous you'd like to be, the holy grail for you is to either make a relative non-issue into a lobbying point and set some do-gooders to the task of screaming about it so that they can clear a path for you to market something new, or you can be even more innovative and outright lie about the deadly side-effects of anything and either sell information about it or sell a product to deal with it, symptomatically.

The trick is to identify problems and find solutions - that's how markets are discovered and businesses founded. A newer trick is to "create a demand" for something (in B2C marketing), and build a business around that -- in a way, branding creates a demand, and I like that.

What goes against my ethics is to avoid finding a solution to a problem -- perpetuating it and lobbying about it -- and only offering symptomatic relief when a cure could be found, and where some of all of these unethically-derived profits might be rightfully, albeit voluntarily, be invested after enough low-hanging fruit have been harvested and squeezed.

The title of the article says it eloquently: Creating Or Finding Problems To Create Markets - "Don't Cure The Disease. Treat the symptoms!"

Thank you for reading and Re-Tweeting to your social media networks.

Douglas E. Castle at http://DouglasECastleBlog.com (the NEW professional blog) and at http://www.DouglasECastle.com (the old personal observations blog).

Some Labels, Tags, Keywords, Categories And Search Terms For This Mad Marketing Tactics Blog Article: marketing, business, opportunism, symptomatic relief, food allergies, marketing, creating problems to create markets, hype, trends, guerrilla marketing, Sugar, lobbies,product domination and price control, marketing tactics, branding, created demand, avoiding a cure, ethical issues

#MadMarketing

***

Scoop.it

I'm Coming Back For YOU. Nobody Escapes

2013-08-03T10:30:00.000-04:00

I'm Not Jealous Of Alec Baldwin. I'm Just Jealous Of His HAIR.

Friends, Colleagues, Clients, Readers And The Occasional Paper Clip Thief:

I should be back to my usual pattern of obsessive blogging on too many subjects by August 8th, and I thank you so kindly for your patience while I'm rapidly on the mend.

In the meantime, would you please do me a great kindness and 1) visit my new blog at http://douglasecastleblog.com, and then 2) follow me (please...this only takes a quick moment) on my brand-new Twitter account at http://twitter.com/DECastleAdvisor?

Thank you, and I'm hoping that you've missed me.

Until then, please be healthy, safe, of good spirits and prosperous -- or on your way to prosperity.

Faithfully,

Douglas

LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/douglascastle

p.s. Kindly look at the image below. When I've looked at it (in a darkened room) for more than a minute or two, I have found that simultaneous with my body relaxing, my mind starts to wander in a fascinating way. I recommend it. It's wonderful, easy meditation, and you don't need any dangerous drugs. Seemingly silly exercises like this one have made my "comeback" much quicker. You can click on the image to see it at its full size, which is considerably larger.

The fascinating shape is actually an impossible recursive pattern wrapped around a doughnut-like shape called a toroid. Really. Look it up if you like.

---------------------------------------------

Sponsored By:
CFI - CrowdFunding Incubator LLC
ICS - International Connection Services
Global Edge Technologies Group LLC
CFI Business Growth
Douglas E. Castle On LinkedIn - Join Me!

#MadMarketing

***

Scoop.it

Mobile: Marketing "Cycle" Replaces "Funnel" - Paradigm Shift

2013-07-14T18:11:00.001-04:00

Has the marked increase in the prevalence of mobile marketing begun to displace the traditional sales funnel with something more like an iterative sales cycle? To some extent (yet to be determined) it has. If you are a smart business person, you will apply this knowledge to your optimal use. If you normally read The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog, you must be an early adopter, lest you be tossed off of my guest list for the annual Caribbean get together [which does not really exist].

I received the following information on a news briefing from the American Press Institute in one of their June mailings:

OFFBEAT
Mobile has made customers' shopping pattern an iterative rather than a serial process (Harvard Business Review)

With the rise of mobile devices, the traditional sales funnel is no longer applicable and is being replaced by a “shopping life cycle” because “consumers no longer go shopping, they always are shopping.” Similarly in media, a single delivery channel and time for news has been replaced by a personal cycle of news where readers are piqued by a topic, then explore various channels when most convenient for them.
---------------
Following are some additional bits of information which tend to support this shift in marketing habits (consumerism) which much be met with changes in marketing tactics, marketing strategy and the media mix expenditure and market expertise focus and allocation.

+ Local mobile advertising expected to double in2013 (NetNewsCheck)

+ Media consumption in the future will be about simultaneous usage of multiple screens by consumers (MediaPost)

+ Choose a mobile strategy based on the quality of experiences and frequency of experiences (Harvard Business Review)

----------------
In my opinion as the writer of The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog and of The InfoSphere Business Alerts And Intelligence Blog, I feel that this paradigm shift is real, and will grow in its dominance. the "fix" for sellers of services and products will have to incorporate the following aspects in terms of focus, emphasis and technological fluidity:

1) You must be increasingly mobile-friendly or actually mobile-based to accommodate the increase in tablets and smartphones. Your wares must be presented in a way that is friendly to the viewers' collective eye, must be easily device navigable, and must have a simple means to purchase and pay (with the necessary verifications) seamlessly and simply;

2) You must emphasize and promote the notion of automatic re-ordering, as well as the availability of text reminders about reorders and about sales, special events and new product or service developments. The idea is for the viewer/ consumer to have "things" that are automatically renewed and charged without thought or effort (if the item or service is not tremendously expensive) in a classical but technologically -advanced auto-renewal fashion. If the items are expensive or change from month to month, you must provide the customer with A) alerts, and B) a fast form [based upon the retention of a customer credit and shipping profile] to make ordering a select and click process; and

3) You must incorporate a subscription model and double-opt-in methodology in order to serve proven or motivated customers or clients rather than rely upon the rapidly-self-extinguishing model of the number of website visits and the percentage of conversions to sales;

The future of the marketing funnel is to be able to gain "subscribers" who become clients rather than to obtain potential one-time purchasers.

A sociological comment might be in order here; you might seriously look at having Millennials and your consumers who are tech-savvy be a part of your marketing tactics and strategy team, your focus groups, and your design contingent for product or service delivery.

As always, thank you for reading me, and for sharing these articles with your connections, colleagues and even CLIENTS (!) across you various social media channels by using your ever-growing arsenal of social media sharing tools and technologies.

Douglas E. Castle

#MadMarketing

***

Get Mobile Now - Or You'll Disappear!

2013-07-03T16:50:00.000-04:00

There are almost as many mobile phones registered (in use) as their are prospective users. The Global Futurist Blog predicts that by the first quarter if 2015, for each user, there will be approximately 1.5 mobile devices. If you are not converting your technology and strategy to mobile marketing (if you own an internet-based business, or even if you own a local shop with a limited geographical locus), your business will either fall of on the revenue side or will be completely displaced by one of your more infographic and marketing savvy competitors -- existing, or in the immediate future. Following is an article summary from SmartPlanet which alludes to this undeniable and accelerating trend:

There are (almost) as many cell phone subscriptions as people

The number of cell phone subscriptions worldwide has risen dramatically in just a few years.

By Tyler Falk

---------------
What actionable items should you have on your whiteboard?

1) Have excellent reliable texting services, for alerts and for two-way communications;

2) Get used to using a QR code for your business, and integrate it into your advertising specialties. Make it a decoration;

3) Allow prospects an option to subscribe, order and pay via their mobile devices;

4) Use email to drive traffic to your mobile campaign (give QR Codes and mobile Short Codes);

5) Insert very brief links to personalized, impact-filled, mini voice mails from your organization into some of your messaging.

Now please -- go out and take the necessary action. Also be certain that your websites and blogs are mobile-friendly in terms of formatting flexibility, if they were not originally designed in anticipation of the mobile device revolution.

As always, thank you for reading me at The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog, and for sharing my articles with your friends, colleagues and contacts across your various social media through the ever-expanding arsenal of social media sharing tools.

Douglas E. Castle

Run your mobile device (with its download QR Code Reader App) over the following to see what it says:

Pass it from one person to the next. I'll know that we've really done it when the QR code arrives on my mobile telephone! Spread this image.

#MadMarketing

***

Marketing - Too Giant A Field To Be Covered By One Game-Changer: Time To Include Other News And Other Views

2013-06-25T21:01:00.000-04:00

--------------------

"Marketing used to be simply the art and science of getting prospective clients or customers into the top of a sales funnel. Now, in this era of mobile communications, our job entails a new element of becoming a part of the consumers 'purchasing cycle.' The Holy Grail is to be the resource which your loyal customer has on speed dial on his or her mobile device, as well as to get that customer to evangelize and to persuade others to do the same. Successful marketing professionals will have to divide their time between attracting qualified prospects into the tunnel, and them getting them to incorporate our product or service in their purchasing cycles. The dream is to become the sole-source for as great a share of the market as is possible." - Douglas E. Castle

Something NEW!

My purpose in writing this blog is to provide readers with my focus, opinion and commentary on certain events, paradigm shifts, important trends, and possible future scenarios -- as well as ways to provide for them, either by positively exploiting them or by exercising the most effective damage control. My writing is for my readers, but it is inadequate in terms of comprehensive coverage on the general categories of subject matter being discussed. I will now offer you much more than ever before. And yes, cousin Frankie, it’s still free.

Henceforth [snobby word, eh?] I'll be posting more article links to this site, as well as whole weekly newspapers or curated collections of articles to this site covering interesting news items gathered from all media to provide every reader with a broader, better view than just my own. While my original articles will continue to be posted, these weekly reviews will lend some needed external perspective to the things that I'm speaking about, and will cover areas where I haven't focused my own attention as an author and an executive. I also feel that views which are not necessarily my own must be given fair representation. My readers are intelligent enough to decide which views are the most sensible, and who they can best believe.

As always, thank you for reading me, and for sharing my articles and other materials with your networks of contacts, colleagues and friends across the ever-increasing variety of social networks through your bookmarking, toolbars and other sharing tools.

A first sampling of this new information follows right beneath my signature and the list of search terms for this article. Please read it, and I hope that you truly enjoy it.

Douglas E. Castle

Tags, Keywords, Labels, Categories And Search Terms For This Article:

career and professional advancement, CFI, forecasts, Media, news, opinions, opportunities, pictures, preparation, reporting, risk containment, self-growth, success, trends, free, Douglas E. Castle, blogs, crowdfunding, business services, communications, reference, social, personal growth, employment, trends, trending, disruptions, major events, game changers, new techniques and technologies, hacks, tips, tricks, shortcuts, news aggregators, curated news articles, social media, buzz, branding, capitalization, financing, business growth, management, leadership, intelligence

------------------------

C'mon...Click on the button above. Don't be intimidated. Trust me! -DEC

#MadMarketing

***

Best SMS Marketing Strategy: 3 Steps.

2013-06-10T20:29:00.000-04:00

The fastest way to get your message, alert or poll out to the greatest number of individuals, and be assured the highest possible participation ("opening" or "response" rate) is to utilize SMS - simple text messaging from your company to each of your company's followers, subscribers or fans. It's amazingly powerful as it takes advantage of the every-present mobile device as your outlet, and the natural impulse (behavioral psychology) of the recipients to respond. We are dealing with a world of texters, and when one is sent a brief text (a "texticle" -- which is a Lingovation I enjoy) the sense of immediacy and urgency are completely impulsive. Pavlov, himself, would be salivating over this marketing approach.

1. GET YOUR OWN SMS SHORT CODE, OR GET A SHARED ONE

Every day, Americans alone send over 5 billion text messages. To help your company capitalize on this trend (whether it's a startup or an established organization looking for better, more spontaneous and pervasive marketing), Neustar’s solutions power the Common Short Codes Administration, the place to start when planning a text marketing campaign. By the way "CSC" stands for "Common Short Code."

There are three easy steps to obtain your own CSC. First, from the CSCA website search for the short code you want. If you don’t need a specific code, the system will assign one randomly. Next, apply for your code by submitting the necessary registration data. Once approved and paid for, your CSC is assigned to you for an assigned period. No one else can lease your code for the duration of your contract.

Once you’ve leased your SMS Short Code, it’s time to implement it. Visit the CSCA website for complete details.

Note: You may be surprise that the cost associated with leasing your very own dedicated short code can range from $500.00 to $1,000 per month. You may wish to offset the cost of having a code by forming an alliance with several other companies and spreading the cost of the lease over the members of the alliance.

If you do not wish to engage in putting this type of partnership together, there are a number of text messaging services providers which have already leased one or more short codes (usually numerical, although some can be translated from numbers into words) and can make their numbers available to you for a greatly reduced fee (either because of a large number of parties using the code, or because of some advertising which will be co-promoted in some way with your SMS messages).

If you'd like to save some money just to get started, the following quick report may be helpful for you:

Best Texting Solutions: Subscribe, Purchase, Polling Or Responding

An Exploration Of Possibilities

Memorial Day, 2013

The CFI Group Of Companies

Douglas E. Castle

So What Is “Subscribe, Purchase, Polling Or Responding Via Text”?

While many of your prospective customers will not always be carrying or in close proximity to their PCs, Notebooks or other “computer baggage,” they are highly likely to be carrying their smartphones or other similarly empowered mobile devices (i.e., tablets and the like) with them. If you are advertising, publicizing or promoting any type of product, service or membership opportunity, even if you are using the currently fashionable QR Codes, you will need to offer these prospects the opportunity to subscribe or purchase via text, which is still the most popular mode of communication amongst the ever-growing demographic (in terms of size and in terms of age range) of 18-year-olds to “50 somethings”. Texting is quick, comfortable and very simple. It also has the additional advantage of being accessible on smart phones that are technologically simple or somewhat outdated.

I am very much in favor of the simple approach of having the mobile device owner merely put a memorable series of numbers into his or her device, and then simply faxing either a word or a combination of letters. This approach also permits mini-questionnaires, polling, voting, contests and other types of very beneficial engagement and interaction. Going further, the results of these activities can be broadcast to the entire subscriber group, or sub-group, further generating the engagement, brand recognition, and the perception of user friendliness and involvement. It’s is a wonderful way to build up client or customer lists.

Best “Subscribe Or Purchase Via Text” Services at 05.27.2013

http://text-message-marketing-review.toptenreviews.com/ - This service is wonderful. It rates the “Top Ten” text message services provides across a variety of capabilities. If you’re in a rush now, just click on the above link, and come back at a more convenient time.

Pro Texting

http://www.protexting.com

Celly - They have a free version, and are very reasonably-priced, especially for educators.

http://www.protexting.com/

TXT180 - A bit pricey, but worth a look.

http://www.txt180.com/

Please do remember that all of the above (inclusive of the "Top Ten" are shared services, where neither you nor your company have any ownership rights associated with the numerical Short Code, but you have, in substance, a license to use your own CODEWORD (in letters) for your subscribers to send to the Short Code. While this does not generally offer the same security, exclusivity and branding potential as owning your own Short Code (which can be expensive for a young business!), I believe that it provides all of the necessary functions -- your marketing, promotion and advertising specialists just have to be a bit more creative to maximize the mileage of your codeword, and in getting the maximum number of subscribers.

---------------

2. ATTRACT THE LARGEST POSSIBLE AUDIENCE, AND CONVERT THE GREATEST PERCENTAGE OF THEM INTO SUBSCRIBERS

Firstly, post the short code and your magical CODEWORD on all of your media, including websites, blogs, newsletters, email signatures, email campaigns -- one interesting addition might also be to show the QR Code of the message, like "Put 135711 into your mobile device, and then text the word DESPERATE in order to subscribe to all of our updates". In fact, the foregoing message translated to a QR Code would look (oh how cool!) like this:

If you scanned the above QR Code into your smartphone or mobile device, it would translate to the words in green above - except, for simplicity's sake, I created this code to present the words in plain black type.

Go ahead. Try it with your iPhone or Droid. This nifty symbol would also work on a business card, a product label, a store sign, a sweat shirt, a coffee mug, or any advertising specialty or medium -- even on a roadside sign, a truck... the promotional possibilities are unlimited.

And the added advantage is that once the individual has "decoded" the little square, he or she has the numerical code and the key word (which you've chosen) right on his or her device, making the reaction impulsive or reflexive. The code also has the advantage of being photographed and decoded later.

I believe that QR codes make excellent email signatures, or newsletter emblems. Use them with great frequency, as they naturally lead the reader to act on the decoded instruction, and greatly increase your probability of acquiring subscribers.

3. USE YOUR FIRST OUTBOUND SMS MESSAGE TO CONFIRM THE SUBSCRIPTION, SAY "THANK YOU", OFFER A FREE BENEFIT OR GIFT AND ANNOUNCE A "BOUNTY" OR REWARD IF THESE SUBSCRIBERS BRING IN NEW SUBSCRIBERS.

While this last section is largely self-explanatory and in keeping with good marketing and customer service practices, don't forget [ If you're a Baby Boomer or some other assumed low-tech stereotype ] to leverage the technical advantage that exists for multiplexing your message by having new subscribers, customers or buyers simply send the QR Code or the decrypted message via text (more SMS!) to his or her circle of friends or acquaintances, adding yet another concentric circle outside of your core market and giving you more territory.

If you want to reward those wonderfully charismatic acolytes for their evangelism, you must create a way to track them as a source. One way to do this is to assign each individual a PERSONAL CODE (which you assign to them), and when newcomers sign up for registration, or to be customers, or for whatever reason, send them an SMS (or direct them to a very, very simple mobile-friendly form, which takes them back into your double opt-in email service registration loop -- such as MailChimp, AWeber, Constant Contact or whomever you use as a mail handler -- which requests only their email address, and the PERSONAL CODE of the person referring them for a free gift, premium, or special discount.
-------------

I've outlined three simple, sensible steps to a successful SMS marketing campaign. Once you've gotten everyone properly opted in for you newsletter (or whatever), you can alert them of specials, new product or service announcements, an occasional bit of humor, or anything which will keep your SMS messages, useful, interesting, and out of the realm of spam.

Dear Mad Marketing Tactics Blog Readers, Followers And Colleagues - Thank you for reading me, and for sharing me with your colleagues, connections and friends across the various social media platforms using the ever-increasing arsenal of social media sharing tools.

Douglas E. Castle

#MadMarketing

***

Worst Product Name... Ever!

2013-06-05T20:11:00.003-04:00

Why on Earth would anyone choose (assuming no torture by a sadist from one of the former Eastern Bloc nations [i.e., Turdistan], or the promise of a hunting trip with Dick Cheney) to name a product or service Monitis? It sounds like a disease. It rhymes with Colitis, Bursitis, Arthritis and a whole host of __itises.

As the author (having destroyed all of the opposition) of The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog, I have to go on the record as saying that that name will most definitely hurt the sales of the product. Names are critically important in marketing and branding -- especially if they are either favorably or unfavorably associated with other product names or words in common usage. If you name a product (with due credit to Piriform) something like CCleaner, it sounds wholesome, useful and efficient. It is a clever hybrid of C drive and Cleaner. It actually describes what it does.

But then there's Monitis.

Here's what WebProNews had to say in a brief advertisement of Monitis (you can try it for free!), which sounded to me, and perhaps to other people, like getting a chance to audition herpes -- or worse. It even has a "moan" in it. Yet, the way the product is described, perhaps it is something great that just happens to have a horrible name; sort of like Smuckers jam. But then, they had an excuse, because it was a family name. And they even promoted a mildly self-deprecating campaign -- "With a name like Smuckers, it has to be good." It helped to boost sales, and once people tried it, they continued to be loyal customers. Let's see how Monitis fares:

======================================================================

This is a WebProNews Sponsor Update
======================================================================

Simplify your Life with cloud-based monitoring

> Improve uptime - check availability and response time of your
websites and applications.
> In just 3 mins - set up your all-in-one dashboard.
> Stay on top of issues - get instant failure alerts.
> Simplify your life - view your entire web and cloud systems
from anywhere, at any time.

Based in the Cloud, we eliminate the need for you to update or
maintain any monitoring software or hardware - ever.

Fantastic Features:

> 24/7 website uptime & performance
> Full page load
> Real time web server monitoring
> Cloud monitoring
> Mobile Applications

Try Monitis FREE Today!
http://aj.600z.com/aj/138656/0/cc?z=1&b=138651&c=138653

---------------

Please remember that I do not endorse the product. Nor do I seek to defame it. It might be good, it might be bad. But none of that matters. The only thing that matters to a marketing and branding professional is that the name stinks. Period.

Thank you as always for reading me, and for sharing my articles with your colleagues, cohorts, comrades, co-conspirators and connections through your ever-increasing use of the various social media platforms. And when I say thank you, I mean it sincerely.

Douglas E. Castle for The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog and for CFI Business Growth

I'm actually a very friendly, approachable, engaging fellow. I don't have Monitis, either.

Labels, Tags, Keywords, Categories And Search Terms For This Article:

marketing, names, branding, sales, web products, C-drive cleaners, cloud computing, Monitis, hepatitis, crowdfunding, CFI, business, growth, humor, memes, impressions, LinkedIn, Douglas E. Castle, WebProNews, CCleaner, naming things, associations...

#MadMarketing

***

Memes, Marketing And Promotion: Start Your Viral Spiral - Increase Backlinks, Traffic And Have Fun

2013-06-03T20:36:00.000-04:00

This is a pertinent image of Dawkins and memes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Your first question should be, "What, exactly, is a meme?" Your second question should be, "Could you give me several examples of memes?" And your third question should be "How can I utilize memes to build blog and website backlinks and increase traffic?"

We at The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog (we actually have a secret slogan, soon to be incorporated into a graphic meme which is Get MAD... Get CRAZY... Get MOVING... Get ATTENTION!

1) But what exactly is a MEME?

According to Wikipedia, a wonderful and underfunded source of information...

"An Internet meme is an idea that is propagated through the World Wide Web. The idea may take the form of a hyperlink, video, picture, website, hashtag, or just a word or phrase, such as intentionally misspelling the word "more" as "moar" or "the" as "teh".

The meme may spread from person to person via social networks, blogs, direct email, news sources, or other web-based services. An Internet meme may stay the same or may evolve over time, by chance or through commentary, imitations, parody, or by incorporating news accounts about itself. Internet memes can evolve and spread extremely rapidly, sometimes reaching world-wide popularity within a few days.

Internet memes usually are formed from some social interaction (Rage comic or reaction faces), pop culture reference (Xzibit in "Yo Dawg" or Bear Grylls in "Better drink my own piss"), or situation people often find themselves in (Socially Awkward Penguin or Futurama Fry / Not Sure If X).

Many memes also come from video games (such as the "arrow in the knee" from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim). For researchers it's hard to track down the birthplace of memes due to their viral nature, as well as the high chance of the meme spreading to the major websites nearly instantly.

Their rapid growth and impact has caught the attention of both researchers and industry^. Academically, researchers model how they evolve and predict which memes will survive and spread throughout the Web. Commercially, they are used in viral marketing where they are an inexpensive form of mass advertising."
####

NOTE: Of course, if the above thesis was too complicated (or too boring) for you to understand/endure, Timmy's Uncle Bart gives this very simple definition while enjoying a ride on the front porch swing:

"An internet phenomenon or a meme is an image, video, phrase or simply an idea that spreads from one person to another seemingly for no logical reason at all. When people see a meme, no matter how silly it usually is, they find it amusing for one reason or other and forward it to their friends; soon millions of people know about it thanks to how fast the information can spread online and the viral effect. That's the whole doggone ball o'wax, Timmy! Now go get me a root beer, nephew."

####

2) Could you give several examples of MEMES?

Why of course! We'll even vary them in terms of types, styles and sources so that you'll have a good picture. Her are some examples of memes and links to examples of memes. All we aks (in New Yawk) is that if you visit a link, that when you've finished devouring all of the content there that you hit your browser's "BACK" button and return to continue reading this article. Really....we don't ask for much.

http://www.ranker.com/list/the-50-greatest-internet-memes-of-2011/williammtx

http://www.squidoo.com/top-10-internet-memes

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/inception

Memes truly are very simple, easily generalized, broadly applicable words (spelled correctly or inkorekly), pictures, word-embedded pictures and symbols. They are easily transmitted, require minimal translation and were probably created for internet use by the same geniuses who created emoticons. Favicons are a whole different matter.

3) How can I utilize MEMES to build blog and website backlinks and increase traffic?

Now we're getting down to business! Let's address the ways in which you can utilize MEMES to build blog and website backlinks and traffic... and there are quite a few...just insert the search terms: Memes+Increase+Website+Backlinks+Traffic into your Google search engine and you will wind up with a veritable cesspool roiling with imaginative possibilities.

4) Why Are Memes So Effing Powerful???

Memes are powerful (superficially and psychologically) because:

they usually contain a unique, memorable and simple picture -- which often incorporates some symbolism or stereotype;

they have a simple slogan or catchphrase embedded into them;

simple, large-lettered words embedded into pictures are very easily memorable;

they may express a great deal more than merely the sum of an image and the "wise" saying embedded upon it -- this is a sort of meme synergy;

They tell a miniature story, or express a feeling which is a fabulous shortcut for writers and social media jabberers who don't like to write (they usually txt, instead, lol!) to send a quick message effortlessly to an acquaintance :-) ;

Memes self-propagate more rapidly than ever before because of the increasing use of such media as Pinterest, Vimeo, Instagram and Slideshare;

Social media sharing tools produced by ShareThis, AddThis, and some interactive toolbars allow memes to be shared, with comments added across the full expanse of social media, for example.....

Memes are little powerhouses of information -- and the Human Brain enjoys them - they are easily digesible.

5) Hey, Dougie [don't you dare to call me that, you knave -- why, I'll cuff you to a rawness out behind the old woodshed if you ever do it again -- "Doug" might have been a wiser choice], do you have any memes of your own which me may enjoy?

Yes indeed. One place to find a pile of them is to do a Google search (under images) for Lingovations. But, heck, here are some special ones for you, my faithful fans and friends of The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog:

Now that you've gotten a good grasp on the meaning and uses of memes, have some fun. Find a rather boring but emotionally-charged image, and put your bold slogan on it. Use Popsicle sticks, library paste, and elbow macaroni. Be sure that their is an adult (mom or dad would be just swell!) to supervise you before you start your project.

Seriously, you are now ready to master the world of memes. Create or choose them. Then use them.

I hope that you've enjoyed the show. Thank you, as always, with your friends, colleagues, co-conspirators, cronies, contacts and connections through the use of your for sharing my articles (of clothing, occasionally) through the use of the increasingly varied social media platforms. Like us, they are increasing in number, capability and bandwidth. Use your sharing tools responsibly.

Douglas E. Castle

Join me on LinkedIn, if your haven't already. And if you already have, you can eliminate this step! Join Douglas E. Castle On LinkedIn Now!

#MadMarketing

***

Sex Sells In A Big Way: But Only When Presented (Insinuated) With Subtlety

2013-05-30T20:13:00.000-04:00

Sex sells - The trick is how to use it with tastefulness and subtlety. If it is too obvious, it narrows your "warm" prospective customers to a much narrower group of hard-core sexophiles [a Lingovation ]. Most of your broader audience (all of whom you'd like to get into the top of your marketing funnel) in the United States and in many other countries and cultures is often associated with shame when presented overtly or in the company of others.

Yes indeed. Sex sells. It is a driving force and has a constant presence in the minds of many a person. It carries with it an urgency, a call to action. It speaks to a deep-rooted need. It is an ethical neutral -- it ranges from what is regarded as pornography to what is acclaimed as art.

The sexual drive, or rather the fulfillment of it, is of itself a powerful addition to any call to action. If sexual innuendo, hinting, metaphor, tease, or hint is incorporated in the call to action -- the compulsion for a viewer or visitor to pick up the phone, or go to the website, or download the application, or do anything that brings him or her closer to purchasing instead of observing, the call to action will be stronger and more effective.

Remember -- you are not selling sex. You are using innuendo, guided metaphorical imagery (visualization), subliminal signals, certain words with multiple meanings which are artfully coupled with your actual product, service or other proposition in order to get your viewers aroused [without their necessarily knowing quite why, or even feeling sexually manipulated] by serving them up a heady cocktail of your product, service or other proposition, gently mixed with a massaged message of slightly prurient undercurrent in order to get them to get up, aroused, and to penetrate the barrier that separates them from plunging into a the heavenly meadow of "yes, yes, yes!"

In fact, all marketing, advertising, marketing and selling generally is analogous to a seduction of the prospective customer or client. The addition of subliminal sexual signals strengthens the "come hither" pull of the proposition.

Some wonderful articles follow (at the very bottom of this article post, titled related articles) which address the issue of the power of controlled sexual magnetism and gravity toward the ultimate consummation of a "yes, yes, yes" decision. Consumers, generally speaking, desire sex, and they also desire things that make them appealing to possible sexual partners.

Exaggerated, clumsy, tawdry direct sex doesn't usually work. Many people find it too excessive to be appealing; in fact, they find it discomforting. It is far better to catch the scent of a well-blended perfume or cologne on the breeze, or to see someone or something that is not intentionally provocative -- part of us wants to be able to imagine, more than to be suffused, in its imagery. The majority of your consumer audience (unless you're involved in something pornographic) want to be tantalized, mystified, hypnotized and gently persuaded -- and ironically, as in Lolita, they want something fresh and unspoiled, yet incredibly stimulating to the imagination.

Use the hint of sex and sensuality as a tool. As an means to an end. If you are too obvious and too deliberate, you'll turn the majority of your audience off.

Before incorporating any type of sexual or sensual imagery or suggestion in any advertising or selling campaign be certain that you are well advised by experts in neuromarketing, and subliminal messaging, lest you either overuse or misuse this power tool.

And it would do the marketers, promoters, advertisers and social media gurus out there in the cyber world that sex is an appetizer - it is not the main course. It is like a dance before dining.

As always, thank you for reading me, and for retweeting and sharing my articles with your colleagues, connections and friends through the use of social media -- a communication medium whose bandwidth continues to grow.

Douglas E. Castle for The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog

Some search terms, tags, labels, categories and keywords for this article:
Advertising and Marketing, Branding, Douglas E Castle, hidden messages, loneliness, metaphors, sex, subliminal messaging, subtle sexual signals, The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog, visual imagery, cues, Lingovations, seduction, desire, drive, momentum, "yes, yes, yes!", climax, crescendo, persuasion, insinuation, the dance, seduction, innocence, shame, tastefulness

p.s. To get the best definition ever of Lingovation and Lingovations, please click on:

http://www.douglasecastle.com/2011/08/lingovation-lingovations-definitions.html

#MadMarketing

***

MAD MARKETING TACTICS™ !

Keeping Your Customers When You Change Your Tactics Or Logistics...

Related articles

Creating Or Finding Problems To Create Markets - "Don't Cure The Disease. Treat the symptoms!"

Related articles

I'm Coming Back For YOU. Nobody Escapes

Mobile: Marketing "Cycle" Replaces "Funnel" - Paradigm Shift

Related articles

Get Mobile Now - Or You'll Disappear!

Related articles

Marketing - Too Giant A Field To Be Covered By One Game-Changer: Time To Include Other News And Other Views

Related articles

Best SMS Marketing Strategy: 3 Steps.

So What Is “Subscribe, Purchase, Polling Or Responding Via Text”?

Related articles

Worst Product Name... Ever!

Related articles

Memes, Marketing And Promotion: Start Your Viral Spiral - Increase Backlinks, Traffic And Have Fun

Related articles

Sex Sells In A Big Way: But Only When Presented (Insinuated) With Subtlety

Related articles